{"id":287723,"date":"2021-06-17T11:35:51","date_gmt":"2021-06-17T09:35:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/innovationorigins.com\/?p=287723"},"modified":"2021-06-17T11:35:51","modified_gmt":"2021-06-17T09:35:51","slug":"rag-austria-could-ensure-sustainable-natural-gas-supply-year-round","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/rag-austria-could-ensure-sustainable-natural-gas-supply-year-round\/","title":{"rendered":"RAG Austria could ensure sustainable natural gas supply year-round"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Renewable energy and how to make it available year-round remain one of the big challenges in making energy consumption more sustainable and efficient. This is largely because natural gas continues to be an important energy source, particularly in the heating market. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the \u201cUnderground Sun Conversion\u201d (USC) and \u201cUSC \u2013 Flexible Storage\u201d<\/a> research projects, RAG Austria is developing potential ways of tackling both issues. This includes developing seasonal storage of renewable energy as well as optimizing ways of producing natural gas in large quantities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Natural gas makes up around 23% of energy consumption in Europe<\/a>. In Germany, it is the second most important<\/a> energy source. Natural gas can be produced artificially using power-to-gas<\/a> systems. In a first step, electrical power (e.g., produced by solar and wind power) is converted into hydrogen, most often through electrolysis. Hydrogen is then either used directly or converted into a more commonly used gas, such as natural gas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Problems with conversion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHydrogen has a significantly lower energy density. This means that to store the same amount of energy, I need more storage volume,\u201d says Stephan Bauer, head of Green Gas Technology at RAG Austria. \u201cAnother disadvantage is that there is no wide-reaching infrastructure for the use of hydrogen.” In contrast, if hydrogen is converted further to methane, \u201cthere\u2019s an additional conversion step, leading to somewhat lower efficiency. But the energy density is much higher. And the perfect infrastructure is already there. It already exists throughout Europe and is compatible with our existing energy system,\u201d explains Bauer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While synthetic gas production isn\u2019t new, its conversion in reactors has its flaws: Producing synthetic gas requires a lot of renewable energy. As a result, it is more costly than direct electricity use. However, for a stable supply through all seasons, it might be the only solution<\/a>. Another significant aspect is that, as Bauer points out, \u201cThey simply lack the volume.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Millions of years old<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201dWhile investigating their trial facility in Austria, researchers found microbes that are known to be involved in producing natural gas. By adding CO2 and sustainably produced hydrogen, a process that first produced methane millions of years ago has once more been set in motion.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Underground Sun Conversion is a technology developed by RAG Austria in collaboration with the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences in Vienna, Austria. As a result of this research, natural gas production \u2013 methanization \u2013 can be naturally kickstarted again in depleted sandstone gas reservoirs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means that natural gas could be produced in significantly larger quantities than before. \u201cIn our storage facilities \u2013 even a small test facility \u2013 we have a volume of more than one million cubic meters. \u201cIn total, there are more than six billion cubic meters in Austria,\u201d says Bauer. \u201cI can\u2019t get reactors that big on the surface.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=NzyGKTcpqwE\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Whether conversion in other sandstone reservoirs works around the world depends on whether the necessary microbes are present. \u201cThere are natural gas deposits where the gas was produced by a thermal rather than a microbiological process. It can be assumed that the transformation works less well there,\u201d Bauer explains. \u201cBut I would not yet want to claim that it has to be sandstone reservoirs. Our reservoirs have proven to be suitable, but we can\u2019t assume all deposits are suitable. That certainly has to be analyzed accordingly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seasonal energy storage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Initial tests show that conversion could happen in a matter of weeks. \u201cWe are still looking at the conversion rates and how to boost them,\u201d says Bauer. \u201cBut the question is whether this time factor is really relevant. Because it’s not just about conversion, but also about the energy storage aspect and seasonal storage specifically. That would mean that if gases are stored in the summer and have to be available in the winter, they can be given a certain amount of time to convert.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After USC\u2019s conclusion in late 2020, RAG Austria together with its partners started its second project: \u201cUSC \u2013 Flexible Storage.\u201d This focuses more on storing energy long-term to ensure a continuous energy supply even during colder and darker months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a surplus of renewable energies, such as sun or wind, during the summer,\u201d states Bauer. This changes once the days get shorter and colder and more energy is required to heat and light households. \u201cThe availability of renewable energy sources is not the same, but the demand is significantly higher. We have to be able to satisfy this energy storage demand.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Substantial amounts of energy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To counteract this, the company now focuses on storing energy<\/a> in an efficient way. \u201cGas \u2013 green, natural gas, hydrogen \u2013 is just a storable energy carrier. I can’t store electricity as such. In the short term, I can do this with batteries. But substantial amounts of energy can only be stored materially through storable energy carriers,\u201d according to Bauer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To guarantee a sufficient supply year-round in the future, sustainable energy sources (e.g., solar or wind plants) will have to be increased and optimized. \u201cThere are so many things that have to be verified and researched. We assume that many other players are doing their homework there. The European Commission is also making a great effort to ensure that the relevant infrastructure continues to be developed,\u201d says Bauer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe as RAG Austria want to further develop our storage facilities and make them ready for the future to serve renewable energy systems,\u201d says Bauer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read also: Shafts and gravity are game-changers in energy storage<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut the question is whether this time factor is really relevant. Because it’s not just about conversion, but also about the energy storage aspect and specifically seasonal storage. That would mean that if gases are stored in the summer and then have to be available in the winter, gases can be given a certain amount of time to convert.\u201d After USC\u2019s conclusion in late 2020, RAG Austria in collaboration with partners started its second project After USC\u2019s conclusion in late 2020, RAG Austria together with partners started its second project \u201cUSC \u2013 Flexible Storage\u201d, which focuses more on storing energy long term to ensure continuous energy supply even during colder and darker months. \u201cThere\u2019s a surplus of renewable energies, such as sun or wind, during the summer,\u201d states Bauer. This changes once the days get shorter and colder and more energy is required to heat and light households. \u201cThe availability renewable energy sources is not equally given, but the demand is significantly higher. We have to be able to satisfy this energy storage demand.\u201dTo counteract this, the company now focuses on storing energy in an efficient way. \u201cGas \u2013 green, natural gas, hydrogen \u2013 is just a storable energy carrier. I can’t store electricity as such. In the short term, I can do this with batteries. But substantial amounts of energy can only be stored materially through storable energy carriers,\u201d according to Bauer. To guarantee sufficient supply year round inthe future, sustainable energy sources (e.g. solar or wind plants) will have to be increased and optimized. \u201cThere are so many things that have to be checked andresearched. We assume that many other players are doing their homework there.The European Commission is also making a great effort to ensure that the relevant infrastructure continues to develop,\u201d says Bauer.\u201cWe as RAG Austria want to further develop our storage facilities and make them ready for the future to serve renewable energy systems,\u201d says Bauer. If Underground Sun Conversion and USC \u2013 Flexible Storage proves successful, RAG Austria will be ready to store large quantities of sustainable energy as soon as it is available.<\/canvas><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Renewable energy and how to make it available year-round remain one of the big challenges in making energy consumption more sustainable and efficient. This is largely because natural gas continues to be an important energy source, particularly in the heating market. With the \u201cUnderground Sun Conversion\u201d (USC) and \u201cUSC \u2013 Flexible Storage\u201d research projects, RAG […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1722,"featured_media":524090,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[31078,36223,31379,24604],"location":[28214],"article_type":[43139],"serie":[],"archives":[],"internal_archives":[],"reboot-archive":[],"class_list":["post-287723","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sustainability-nl","tag-climate-change","tag-energy-storage","tag-energy-transition","tag-gas","location-austria","article_type-features"],"blocksy_meta":[],"acf":{"subtitle":"The Austrian energy company RAG has developed a method of producing natural gas naturally to store renewable energy.","text_display_homepage":false},"author_meta":{"display_name":"Juliane Glahn","author_link":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/author\/juliane-glahn\/"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/0272RAG_Portraits_UndergroundSunstorage18_KarinLohbergerPhotography-300x200.jpg","coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["Sustainability<\/a>"],"unlinked":["Sustainability<\/span>"]},"tags":{"linked":["climate change<\/a>","energy storage<\/a>","energy transition<\/a>","gas<\/a>"],"unlinked":["climate change<\/span>","energy storage<\/span>","energy transition<\/span>","gas<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":"0","relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 5 years ago","modified":"Updated 5 years ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on June 17, 2021","modified":"Updated on June 17, 2021"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on June 17, 2021 11:35 am","modified":"Updated on June 17, 2021 11:35 am"},"featured_img_caption":"","series_order":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/287723","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1722"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=287723"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/287723\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/524090"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=287723"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=287723"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=287723"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=287723"},{"taxonomy":"article_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_type?post=287723"},{"taxonomy":"serie","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/serie?post=287723"},{"taxonomy":"archives","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/archives?post=287723"},{"taxonomy":"internal_archives","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal_archives?post=287723"},{"taxonomy":"reboot-archive","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reboot-archive?post=287723"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}